Peñalolén is recognized as a leading city in climate action in the Global Assessment
Chile already has a National Local Climate Action Strategy within the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, which was presented on June 22 in an event attended by high-level local, national, and EU representatives.
The National Strategy for local climate action in Chile includes measures to support Chilean cities and municipalities that are members of the Global Covenant of Mayors in taking concrete climate actions over the next two years, thus contributing to the fulfillment of the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate change to limit the increase in the global average temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
The presentation of Chile’s strategy, moderated by journalist Karen González, took place during the “Pact in Action Week: Latin American Cities for Climate,” where, in addition to Chile’s strategy, the strategies of Brazil, Ecuador, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Argentina were also presented.
The European Union will provide over five million euros by 2025 to support these actions in the Latin American region. Funding and capacity-building support are administered through the Global Covenant of Mayors, the largest network of cities for climate with over 11,000 members worldwide, of which 551 are Latin American cities and municipalities with a combined population of 243 million people.
It is estimated that up to 75% of the world’s total emissions come from cities. Therefore, it is important for cities that emit the most greenhouse gases to work on discharge and decarbonization plans. Ewout Sandker, Head of Cooperation at the European Union Delegation to Chile, said, “However, it is also noted that cities show a growing level of commitment, ambition, and take concrete actions both in adapting to and mitigating climate change.”
“Technical support, monitoring, and oversight are provided for the development of local climate action plans, with the support, input, and validation of communities. It is particularly important that this work takes place in the context of Chile’s new legislative framework on climate change with the adoption of the Climate Change Framework Law,” he said.
Jenny Mager, Head of the Climate Change Division, added that for Chile, the fight against climate change “has become a state policy in recent years.” The urgency of immediate climate action is based on compelling scientific evidence that, as a country, we cannot ignore.
She added that in the latest report from IPCC Working Group Three on mitigation, it was highlighted, in particular, that the necessary and possible actions to maintain the goals of the Paris Agreement must be planned and implemented at the local level. “That is why we at the Ministry of the Environment recognize the importance of working directly with regional governments and municipalities in this way to plan and take concrete actions on climate change,” she said.
Rodrigo Arias, Coordinator for International Affairs of the Chilean Association of Municipalities (AChM), the association that chairs the National Advisory Committee of the Global Covenant of Mayors in Chile, was tasked with presenting the strategic vision within the national context of Chile, the main lines of action, and the objectives of local governments.
There are 13 cities committed to the Covenant, including: Peñalolén, Valparaíso, Santiago, Cerro Navia, and Providencia. The strategic plan’s objectives include: climate governance; dissemination and scalability; continuous training and knowledge management; strategic planning and implementation; and reporting, monitoring, and evaluation.
The plan also outlines two lines of action: Visibility and Advocacy and Technical Support. The idea of the first is to conduct forums and meetings aimed at showcasing the experience of covenant-affiliated municipalities at a higher hierarchical level. Technical support is reflective support for the development of local climate action plans, focusing on efforts in different regions and the country’s reality.
“This strategy aims to promote sustainable development at the sub-national level, contributing to achieving national and global climate goals, facilitating this work process within a standardized international framework supported by the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy. This means driving municipal climate action, articulating public policies with a multi-level approach, and strengthening key programs related to sustainable, resilient, and low-emission local management,” he said.
An environmental and climate change vocation at its source
Peñalolén is a commune located in the foothills of the Metropolitan Region with low per capita income and geographical and territorial characteristics that make it highly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, such as floods and other situations that have been faced on various occasions. Mayor Carolina Leitão, Municipality of Peñalolén, pointed out that the city has adhered to a series of international commitments, such as zero waste, resilience goals. “Recently, with pride for the team, we also received recognition for local climate management, being recognized in 2020 as a leading city in climate action within the Global Assessment,” she said.
The city has milestones in environmental and climate management, where the foundations were laid for a management based on the approach of the climate crisis as a development issue. It is also part of the network of municipalities for climate change. Leitão emphasized, “We were able to develop our first climate change plan in a participatory way. In 2018, we joined, which allowed us to take a quality leap and better guide our work to have more and more commitments, knowledge, evaluation, and permanent measurement of our actions.”
Jordan Harris, Coordinator of the Covenant in the Americas, stated that cities like Peñalolén and many other Chilean cities are demonstrating a growing level of commitment and ambition and implementing very concrete actions, both in adaptation and mitigation. “We see very clearly that the capacities of local governments are strengthened when there is a space for dialogue like the Covenant, where they can collaborate and share experiences and best practices.”
And he concluded, “We hope that this is truly the beginning of a new cycle for the Covenant in Chile to build a better and more resilient future in the face of the climate crisis,” he said.
More than 500 municipalities united in Latin America
The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy is a global alliance of over 12,500 cities and local governments in more than 140 countries voluntarily committed to addressing climate change, reducing its inevitable impacts, and facilitating access to sustainable and affordable energy for all. The Covenant was created in 2016 with the merger of the two largest networks of mayors and cities working on climate and energy issues: the Covenant of Mayors and the Compact of Mayors. Today, more than 500 municipalities and cities in Latin America are part of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy. These are cities and municipalities that are taking bold local actions and working in a network to share innovative solutions that allow mayors to do more, faster. The Covenant invites new municipalities and cities to join this initiative.
More information:
- Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy website
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Press contact: Ébida Santos, [email protected]
